1. How did you first become acquainted with the Church of
Scientology?

Was walking down Deansgate in Manchester (UK) and was stopped by a guy doing a survey. He asked me questions like 'Is there something you would like to improve about yourself?', 'Are you being held back in life?', 'Would you like to achieve your goals?'
He worked for Manchester Org. I went into the org and bought a book (Dianetics).

2. What initially appealed to you about scientology?

The gains promised by the books - Like the state of Clear. Gaining perfect eyesight, total recall, past life recall, perfect health, exteriorization.
Also, I was fascinated by the Grade Chart - moving up the Bridge to the OT levels, upto power on all 8 dynamics.

3. Were there problems in your life that you thought
scientology would address?

I was suffering from bad health problems at the time. Had no confidence, no money, no girlfriend, no prospects whatsoever. I thought that the handling for all this was to move up the Bridge.

4. Did you see, experience, or hear about things that didn't
seem right while you were in the Church of Scientology? What were
they, and what convinced you to set aside your feelings?

Firstly, there was the lack of money after I joined staff at manchester. There was always empty promises that the pay and conditions would improve. I was more affluent when I was living off state benefits!
OT's were meant to have perfect eyesight etc. But there were lots of myopic OT's.
L Ron Hubbard was portrayed as the best thing since sliced bread. If that was the case, then why did the general populus either not know who he was or dismiss him as a fraud?
My family relationships disintigrated due to the disconnection policies.
Overall, I was becoming less and less the open, caring, honest person I used to be and was changing into a totally supressed, bitter and twisted robot.
Because I was tired, hungry, cold, worked to the bone it was difficult to think clearly about what was going on.

5. Why did you choose to stay in the Church of
Scientology?

I was still convinced that the admin and tech worked. I thought that if things weren't going right it was because Ron's policys weren't being applied properly.
Moreover, I DID have some gains myself from the auditing and training.
Plus I thought that if so many top guys were into CoS - Like Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Chick Chorea etc it must be ok.
Also, I was in the Sea Org for two years. Because they provided food and accomodation, I stayed. Also there was the sense of community which I enjoyed, plus the 'buzz' of us all being united for a common goal.

6. Were you staff or public? If staff, was it at a mission or
an org? Were you ever in the Sea Org or OSA? Which unit? If not on
staff, did you ever volunteer to 'help out'?

I was staff at Manchester org for 6 months.
Then I joined the Sea Org and did 12 months at Saint Hill Uk (1991) and 12 months at CC Int (1992).
After completing the SO training - Estates Project Force (EPF) - at Saint Hill I was posted as the Flag Rep for AOSH UK. The FR is level with the Commanding Officer on the org board.
Due to me being a little too inexperienced to handle the FR post, I was demoted to the Saint Hill estates org. I worked as the cashier in the refectory.
In January 1992 I was posted over to the Manor Hotel/CC Int (in Hollywood). I worked there as a night cleaner for a year.
Due to health problems, I left the Sea Org in Feb 1993, and flew back to the UK.
Thereafter I was public for the next 10 years.
I had no involvement with OSA.

7. Why did you leave the Church of Scientology? Was there a
"final straw"?

I left the Sea Org due to health problems. I was working 14 hours per day, every day and my body was falling apart. It was a case of either leave the SO or die.
For the last 10 years I was public. I wasn't moving up the Bridge but was donating a few thousand £'s to the International Association of Scientologists and Dianetics campaigns.
Over time it just kinda dawned on me that I (who was right at the bottom of Scientology's Bridge) was saner, more intelligent, more able, sociable and kinder than the scieno veterans who were OT8's etc.
Plus, for the first time in my life I began accessing the internet and started reading sites like www.xenu.net . From that point on I was out of the total freedom trap!

8. Do you think the Church of Scientology needs to change some
of its practices? If so, what should be changed? How did those
practices affect your life?

It needs to come clean! the CoS lies about Hubbard's background, his research, the stats, the whole shebang.
It needs to ditch the disconnection policies, the fair game policies, supression of so-called supressives, supression of free speech and discussion.
It needs to cease and desist from feeding people false dreams and hopes - such as the OT levels being able to restore full health and abilities.
Even to this day, if I catch a cold or stub my toe on a chair I think, 'Who is suppressing me - I must be PTS.' But this is wrong - we can't blame every little mishap on 'evil supressives'!

9. If the items you listed in the previous question were
changed, would you consider rejoining or staying in the Church of
Scientology? If so, why?

If the CoS jettisoned its lies, false dreams and 'never defend - always attack' policies it would evaporate like a castle in sand!

10. Any additional comments you would like to make?

I'm waiting for the CoS house of cards to fall completely so I can crack open that bottle of bubbly!